Centrifugally responsive governor



March 1l, 1952 I.. DE MARCO 2,588,911

CENTRIFUGALLY RESPONSIVE GOVERNOR Filed Aug. 27, 1949 6 2 SHEETS--SHEETl ATTORNEY March 11, 1952 DE MARCO 2,588,911

` CENTRIFUGALLY RESPONSIVE GOVERNOR Filed Aug. 27, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET2 lg 5- INVENTOR.

LOUIS DE MARCO ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 11, 1952 `U NIT ED S TAT E SPATENT `01:' FICE CENTRIFUGALLY RESPONSIVEr GOVERNOR LouislDeMarco,ICleveland, Ohio Application August-27, 1949, Serial No. 112,700

This invention relates in general to` governors and moreparticularly-togovernors of the `type employing rotating centrifugallyresponsiverpivoted weight elements.

In1 the conventional .governor construction the r centrifugllyresponsive weights are so` mounted about `their pivots that the mass of:each-.weight in its pivotal movements betweenfully retracted, or closed,position and its fully extended, ,or open, position.` describes i. anarc.

The main factors that determinethe power of the weight are its radial.'position, fspeed and leverage. As long as theweight mass .is pvotallyxed to swing inzan arc, there necessarilyexists undesirableunproportional changes of `weight power throughout the `pivotalmovements' of the weight. This undesirable 'condition renders itimpossible to .obtain `an opposing` spring' action that will `accuratelyufollow the vvariations `in weight power resulting fromthe arcuateswingof the weight mass. This varying weight power necessarily results insuchxedvweights because ofcorners, or protrudinglmasses thatare inherent inthe Weight and rthat'swingfarcuately inwardly and outwardly "about i the'weight pivot. These protruding masses `continuously change the weightleverage throughout the weight travel and produce unproportionalvariations iin :weight power. `This is undesirable because l in'icertainweight i positions .it offsets the; graduali `"increase or decrease ofrweight` power that would be-xexpected if the centrifugal forces of the:weight were computed on radial position, speed.and`le verage of thecenterof gravity of'the weight mass.

Oneof 'the primary objects of my inventionis to obtain in `agovernor`such anuaction` assis necessary to providera centrifugally responsiveweight that is so pivotally mounted that it `iioats with the centerlineof the weight `mass atall times maintained to be in a plane normal tothe main rotary governor shaft.

i `Another object of my invention'is to provide ina .governorcentrifugally responsive yweights whose weight power will graduallyincrease and decrease `in relation to opposing spring action so as toobtain maximumstability, accuracy and sensitivity.

Another object is :to providesuch acentrifugal weight, the centerline ofthe massof whichuwill lie in a plane normal to the mainrotary governorshaft throughout the limits of its entire pivotal movement.

Another object isto provide a centrifugal govexnor weightthatrisisofpivotally mounteddby a 9 Claims. (01.264415) singlepvotalconnection` to the weight armbetween the `weight mass and` the governor.shaft thatit ioats withthe centerline of .themass atalltimes maintainedto` be in a, plane` perpendicular to the governorshaft.

-Another object is` to provide in a governorsuch a iioatingcentrifugallyresponsive pivotedvweght. theV engaging surface of which` and -thatofthe slider are so related that a frictionlessnon-slipping: rolling`action will. result.

Another object is to providein agovernor. such a iloating centrifugallyresponsivepivotedweght which. is free` to pivot, without contact with ithe governor slider,.and which latter is rotated by meansfradially`disposed from the; main rotary shaft.

With the foregoing andothertobjects-n view, the invention` resides inthecombination of parts and in the details` of constructionhereinafterset forth inthe: following` specicationand :appended claims, certainembodiments thereof being illustrated in the `accompanyingdravvingspinwhich:

Figure` 1 .is la view in vertical section staken through theegovernorLembodying my-inventiom ,showing thecentrifugal weights yin closedfposition;

Figure2 is a view similar` to Figurel, showing the` .weights in openposition;

Figure Sais. a view. insection taken along: line 3-3rof Figure 1;

i Figure 4 is a. View in perspective of. -one` ofj the weight armswiththe weight removed;

Figure 5 is a View in perspective Aoficne..ofthe weights removed fromits weight arm; and.

Figure isa plan view of one of the centrifugal weights.

Referring l `more particularly to the drawings, thegovernor casingl is`.closed bya removable base 2 that carries-:an Aanti-friction Abearingin `which is'supportedf a collar `Il xedtotherotarylgovernor` shaft`'.i. "Theupper end :oflthe shaft `is `mounted in Ian .anti-frictionbearingt 6 pressed .into-1an appropriate. socket tinY `the :top `of thecasing. 1

Just above collar 4 there is xed uponshaftx albracket comprising asleevek'l` having integral spaced parallel arms :8. Arms 8fiof t thebracket support a pair offpivotsS for weight arms l0. These pivots-9-are parallel :to each o'thervand relatively close toandidisposed inaplanesnormal tothe governor shaft` 5.

Loosely surrounding shafti. and aboveasleeve l is a` slider. I Ihaving.` a pairzof diametricallylop# posed Vlegs l2 radially removedfrom `the'governor shaft 5. The slider is guided in its slidingmovements on the governor shaft and caused to rotate with the bracket byinwardly extending outer tips 28 of the weight bracket arms 8 whichstraddle with slight clearance the slider arms I2. 1f desired, thisstraddling relationship may be reversed. Thus. the force exerted fortransmitting rotation of the bracket to the slider is at pointsappreciably radially outwardly of the governor shaft. This tends toreduce friction over any construction employing a splined connectionbetween' the shaft and slider or a drive relatively close to the shaft.Moreover, in my construction the drive of the slider is entirely removedfrom and independent of the weight arms III and does not interfere withtheir free pivoting, as distinguished from the disclosure of the U. S.patent to Rollason, 394,300 of December ll, 1888, in which latter therotative movements of the Y slider are imparted by engagement of theWeight to extend radially inwardly and upwardly from the externa1 tipsof the surfaces. The upper surfaces I4 of the weight arms l0 outboard ofthe pivots 9 are shown to have a long radius of curvature upon which theunder surfaces I3 of the slider ride in surface engagement. While thisis the preferred arrangement, it is possible to reverse the same byhaving the upper surfaces I4 straight and inclined` and the undercutsurfaces |3,provided with a, long radius of curvature.Y The importantconsideration from the viewpoint of operation is to so predetermine thenature of the two different types of engaging surfaces that the curvedsurface will roll upon straight surface without slippage so as toeliminate friction that would otherwise interfere with the pivotalmovements of the weight arms to produce `retarded vand erratic operationof the governor.l

the main governor shaft, will also remain perpendicular to the governorshaft throughout all of its movements. What I mean by the termcenterline of the weight mass is the centerline designated at A-A inFigure 5, meaning a centerline extending generally radially of theshaft, rather than a centerline extending vertically or transversely ofthe Weight.

In other words, the sole means of suspension of the weight arm is a.single pivot point 9 and the sole means of suspension of the weight is asingle pivotal connection between the weight and the weight arm is aboutpin Il. Moreover, this single pivotal connection by pin between theweight and the weight arm is4 through legs 30 and 3| and between theheavier mass portion 32 An the upper end of the Suder n there is aconstriction 20 upon which is tted the inner race-2I'of a bearing havingballs 26. A conventional control shaft 22 is mounted in suitablebearings carried by the casing I. This shaft has a yoke 23 pinnedthereto with bifurcations which are' spring urged by conventional meansto bear downwardly upon the ball bearing assembly at the top of theslider. Upward movement of slider may be limited by means of a snap ring25 mounted in an annular groove formed in the governor shaft and beadapted to be engaged by'constriction 20 of the slider as a limit'stop.

In my previous U. S. patent, No. 2,464,853 for Governor, March 22, 1949,I have shown what I choose to term xed weights.y By this term I meanthat the weights are rigid. In my present construction I propose toemploy floating weights, instead. Accordingly, I have shown a pair lofweight elements I5, centrally recessed at I6 to be U-shaped with a massportion 32 and legs30 and 3| and having pins I1 extending through holes21 in weight I5 and through a hole 33 in the hollowV barrel bearings I8of the weight supporting arms I0. Whether the pins I'I are xed to theweight arm or to the weights themselves, the

Vweights I5 are mounted to be floating, as this single pivotalconnection is the only connectionv between the weight and the weightarm. The weights are not restricted to swing in an arc about pivots 9.Instead, the centerline of the weight mass',which lies in a plane normalto and the governor shaft. The use of this single pivot point connectionI'I, instead of multiple connections on both sides of the weight, andthe disposition of this single pivot point connection through the legs30 and 3| and thus between the governor shaft and the weight mass A32,insures the swinging of the weight in such a manner that the weight massremains perpendicular to the governor shaft throughout the limits of theswing of the weight.

Figure l shows the weights to be fully retracted, or closed, and Figure2 shows the weights to` be fully extended, or open. In normal operationwith the governor disposed upright,V as viewed in Figure 2, and duringfull speed rotation of the shaft, the engagement of constriction 20 ofthe,

slider with snap ring 25 acts as a limit stop to upward movement of theslider and outward movement of the weights. When the weights are v notbeing subjected to centrifugal force and spring tension by arm 23, thelugs I9, carried by weight arms Ill, contactV with the weights toprevent clockwise tipping of the right hand weight about its pivot andcounterclockwise tipping of the left hand weight about its pivot. Forpreventing such undesirable tipping of the weights when the governor isdisposed upside down, I provide the weight bracket with integral orrigid lugs 29 to contact with the weights'for the same purpose.

Thus it will -be seen that I have provided a governor in which I haveveliminated the undesirable factor of irregular change of weight powerpresent in the fixed weight. Such an irregular change of weight powermakes it practically impossible to obtain an opposing spring action thatwill follow the variations .in weight power.V The arcuately swinging xedweight results in irregular weight power because Vof protruding massesswinging arcuately about the fixed pivot. pre.-

scr-ibing'the arcuate swing. This results in continuously changingleverage throughout the weightctravel to produce an unproportionalvariation Vof weight power tending to offset the gradual increase ordecrease of power that would be expected if the centrifugal force of theweight were computed on radial position, speed and leverage of thecenter of gravityof the'weightA mass'. In my present'constructionemploying a floating weight the centerline of the weight mass is alwaysperpendicular to the governor shaft and the above disadvantages ofthexed weight are eliminated. The weight power gradually increases' andidecreasesY in relation to opposing spring action so as to obtain maximumstability; accuracy and sensitivity. 1 1 Y Moreover, my floating weightpermits positioning of the weight mass farther radially removed fromthejgovernor shaft while still maintaining the angle, of swing between4the two weight pivots 'cg-tegen My floating weight has a more flexibleand wider "application Vtogovernors which must iit into restrictedplaces. For instance, a shorter governor may have longer and narrowerweights. kismallerf'housing 'may be' obtained by widening and shorteningthe weight mass.

With my floating'weight construction, a series of different governorswith different power outputs maybe made with the inside units exactlyalike; except' for' the weightfmasses which 'would be of 'different'sizesl for' the iparticular purposes. `Moreover,in my fioatingweight,the-"camsurfaesl #weight farms roll, insteacifof slidifrig,` upon theslider soas 'to eliminate friction that would impede properpivotalmovements" of the *weight arm. "Friction is Afurthereliminatedbyreason of a rotationalldrivefflthe slider by coacting means which arein straddling relationship and appreciablyradially removed from thegovernor shaft and entirely removed from and independent of the weightarms so as to not interfere with their pivotal movements.

Iolaim:

1. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a Weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft and a centrifugally responsive weightbeing suspended solely by a single pivotal connection to said weight armwhen said weight is under the influence of centrifugal force so as toadapt said f weight to swing about an axis normal to the axis ofrotation of said shaft.

2. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft and a centrifugally responsive weightbeing suspended solely by a single pivotal connection to said weight armwhen said weight is under the influence of centrifugal force so as toadapt said weight to swing with the centerline of the mass of saidWeight remaining perpendicular to said shaft throughout its limits ofswing. v

3. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft and a centrifugally responsive weightbeing suspended solely by a single pivotal connection to said weight armwhen said weight is under the influence of centrifugal force so as toadapt said weight to be floating to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft.

4. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft and a centrifugally responsive weightbeing suspended solely by a, single pivotal connection to said weightarm when said weight is under the influence of centrifugal force so asto adapt said weight to be floating to swing with the centerline of themass of said weight remaining perpendicular to said shaft throughout itslimits of swing.

5. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby,

a '-lweigt una 'being suspended solely 'tyfa le pivotal connection *tosaid bracket to swing about an axis normal to *the `-ax'is Tl'f rotation*f said `shaft fand *a "U=s`haped centrifugally l"re'sponsive lweight*with *the @greater weightfxriass i'n the bow fof the `U and connected*to said iarm by a l pivotal I'connection through `ftheflegs`^oftl'1e"*U, and thus between -the shaft and the greater weight mass fofsaid weight, said lastnamedpivotal connect'ion'being" the soleniealns-*ofsuspension of said weightavlienisaid weight isf-under"theinfluence 'of centrifugal force sostofadaptsaid 'weight-to vswi'r'igabout an axis normal to `lrthe 'axis of rotation` `cnf-'saidshaft-vvithtliecenterlinefof kthe mass of said' weight remaining l perpendicular tosaid? shaft lthroughout 4'its lirnitsofswing. l l

l' 6. `In`a-governr having `a` rotatablehshaft and lajbracket mountedthereon `to befrotated thereby, afweightar'm beingisuspendedsolely bylTa single pivotal connection tosaid bracket to swing about anfaxisnormal to Athe axisfofrotation'fof'said shaft,` a `s`1ider loosely "andVslidably mounted" on said shaft in non-driving relationship, coactingmeans carried by said slider and said bracket, independent of weightarm, and radially removed from said shaft and disposed in straddlingrelationship for imparting rotary movements of said shaft to saidslidably mounted slider, a centrifugally responsive weight beingsuspended solely by a single pivotal connection to said weight arm whensaid weight is under the influence of centrifugal force so as to adaptsaid weight to swing about an axis'normal to the axis of rotation ofsaid shaft.

7. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft, a slider loosely and slidably mounted onsaid shaft in non-driving relationship,I coacting means carried bysaidslider and said bracket, independent of weight arm, and radiallyremoved from said shaft and disposed in straddling relationship forimparting rotary movements of said shaft to said slidably mountedslider, a centrifugally responsive weight being suspended solely by asingle pivotal connection to said weight arm when said weight is underthe influence of centrifugal force so as to adapt said Weight to befloating to swing about an axis normal to the axis of rotation of saidshaft with the centerline of the mass of said weight remainingperpendicular to said shaft throughout its limits of swing.

8. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a, weight arm being suspended solely by a'singlepivotal connection to said bracket to swing about an axis normal to theaxis of rotation of said shaft, a slider loosely and slidably mounted onsaid shaft in non-driving relationship and above said Weight arm to haveits under surface engage the upper surface of said weight arm, one' ofsaid surfaces being straight and inclined and the other surface havingan arc of relatively long curvature to produce a frictionless rockingnon-slipping engagement of said surfaces during pivotal movements ofsaid weight arm, coacting means carried by said slider and said bracket,independent of said weight arm, and radially removed from said shaft andin straddling relationshipfor im; parting rotary movements of said shaftto said slider, a centrifugally responsive weight being suspended solelyby a single pivotal connection to said weight armwhen saidl weight isunder-the influence of centrifugal force, said last named pivotalconnection being between saidshaft'and the greater mass portionof saidWeight so as to adapt said weight to be oating to swing about an axisnormal to the axis of rotation of said shaft with the centerline of themass of said weight remaining perpendicular to` said shaft throughoutits limits of swing.

9. In a governor having a rotatable shaft and a bracket mounted thereonto be rotated thereby, a weight arm being suspended solely by a singlepivotal connection to said bracket toswing about an axis normalto theaxis of rotation of said shaft and a centrifugally responsiveWeightbeing suspended solelyj by a single pivotal connection to saidweight arm when said weight is under the influence of centrifugal forces o as to adapt said weight to be floating to swing With the centerlineof the mass of said weight remaining vperpendicu. lar to saidshaft'throughout its limits ofsWing, alimit stop means carried by saidbracket adapt-l ed to abut said weight when the latter isextended andnot centrifugally sustained in orderHto-prvent tipping of said Weight,about its pvotal'connection tosaid Weight arm, toward said'weightbracket. A r

Y LOUIS DEMARCO...

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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